By Bill W
August 3, 2011 – All year, it has seemed that Chad Humston needs just a few more feature laps to challenge for the lead. This weekend, he will get his opportunity at the 21st Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Nationals at the Knoxville Raceway. The journey starts Thursday night, and the Mark Burch Motorsports #1m team is ready to contend for another 360 Nationals championship.
Last Saturday night marked the final opportunity to prepare for this week’s events. A 42-car field timed individually, with each driver receiving two time trial laps. Coming out past the halfway point on a dry track, Chad timed in ninth. “I really think that’s about all the track had at the time,” he says. “I wasn’t really paying attention after I went out, but the crew said there wasn’t anyone doing much better after I went out (no one was). The track was giving away in a hurry.”
The Giltner, Nebraska driver was slated to start outside row two for his heat, but moved up after another competitor was unable to show. “Ryan Roberts and I always seem to find the same row,” says Chad. “This time it was the front. It worked out that way because Davey Heskin had motor problems and that moved us up there. Ryan got away from me, and I had to run him down. We got close for a couple of laps, but I got a little excited and got the inside berm.”
After settling for second, Chad turned his attention towards the 15-lap main event, where he would start sixth. “In watching the video, I really think if I had made a different move the first lap, I could have been as high as third,” he says. “I ended up staying behind someone and that kind of held me up.”
Instead, he was running outside of the top five, and had some catching up to do. He stayed the same speed as the leaders, but ended up running fifth. “I think we had better than a fifth place car, but there were no slouches out there,” says Chad. “It was what it was. The track had a top and bottom like usual, but the top was a little different. It was a little rough in spots.”
The main thrust was getting ready for tomorrow night’s 360 Nationals. “We had things going well, and it’s going to prepare us well for Thursday,” he says. “That’s what the night was about…getting ready for Thursday.”
Last year, Chad was the high point man in the 360 Nationals. Quick time was followed with a second place run in the heat (after starting sixth). In the prelim feature, he ran third after starting eighth. Unfortunately, after starting on the pole Saturday night and leading the first nine laps, a bolt sheared off, shooting him into the wall and ended his night. “Of course, we’d like to do just as good on our qualifying night,” says Chad. “That will allow us to pull things together for Saturday’s feature. We don’t need any broken parts or things falling off the car!”
New Marketing Partners Needed and Welcomed
The Mark Burch Motorsports team is always looking to work with new partners to help them achieve their advertising goals. For more information please contact Mark at mark@markburchmotorsports.com!
Online
To keep up with Mark Burch Motorsports, check them out online at http://www.markburchmotorsports.com/!
You can also follow Chad, of Chad Humston Racing, by checking him out online at http://www.chadhumston.com/!
For weekly updates on Mark Burch Motorsports, join our mailing list by emailing “MB Motorsports” to sprntcar@hotmail.com.
Partner of the Week: Wireless Amber Alerts
The national Wireless AMBER Alerts Initiative is a voluntary partnership between the wireless industry, the United States Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), to distribute AMBER Alerts to wireless subscribers who opt in to receive the messages and are able to receive text messages on their wireless devices.
Statistics show the first three hours after a child’s abduction are most critical to recovery efforts. Recognizing that wireless technology can help galvanize communities to assist law enforcement in the search for and return of the child, the membership of CTIA-The Wireless Association®, The Wireless Foundation, the United States Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children are honored to offer the Wireless AMBER Alerts Initiative.
To sign up for Wireless AMBER Alerts and be part of the solution, visit www.WirelessAmberAlerts.org!
Mark Burch Motorsports
The mission of Mark Burch Motorsports is to be an innovator in the unrefined business of Sprint Car racing on dirt, while representing our sponsors and manufacturers in a professional and positive manner both on and off the track. It is our goal to develop and improve our winning spirit and carry on our winning tradition by utilizing the growth of close personal relationships throughout our organization. This pursuit of excellence is the fuel that feeds the fire of our souls.
Mark Burch Motorsports would like to thank the following Primary sponsors: Engler Machine and Tool, Inc., Wireless Amber Alerts, Wolfweld Chassis, OE Parts Megastore, Hoosier Tire Great Plains, Smiley’s Racing Products, Whitetail Paradise and Triple R Tire.
Mark Burch Motorsports would like to thank the following Associate and Product sponsors: Arrow Truck Sales – Kansas City, MO, Morgan Farms, Burnett Rock & Landscaping, Donovan Blocks, Diamond Pistons, Rod End Supply, Saldana Racing Products, MSD Ignition, Vortex Racing Products, King Racing Products, S&S Welding, Inc., Lee Power Steering, Gessford Machine, Diversified Machine, Inc., Afco, CV Products, Wulff Pumps, Schoenfeld Headers, Red Devil Brakes, Total Seal, Dyers Top Rods, Huggins Cams, Speedway Motors, Weld Racing, Harris Decals, Eckley Racing Engines, Goodridge and Shaver Wesmar Gear Drives.
Perhaps in the spirit of RAGBRAI, but definitely a move to go “Green”, owner Mark Burch demonstrates the Huggins Cams sponsored tire pump! No word on when the team will start biking to Knoxville from Nebraska to complete their “Green Movement”…